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If You Don’t Pronounce “Coke” Properly, It Could Mean “Penis”

One of my Korean students went to the United States for a business trip and she went to a bar after work.

She went up to the bar counter. She doesn’t drink alcohol, so she wanted to get a soft drink.

She said, “Coke, please.”

The bartender was shocked to hear what she just said. “Excuse me?”

She said again, “I want coke!”

The bartender shook his head totally confused.

When she said “coke,” it sounded like “cock.”

“Cock” is a slang term for penis.

This happened because my student didn’t distinguish the long vowel from a short vowel.

Pronunciation: Coke vs Cock

“Coke” has a long vowel.

These words have the same long vowel: Coke, poke, woke, yoke, and soak.

“Cock” has a short vowel.

These words have the same short vowel: cock, dock, mock, lock, and knock.

Next time you want to order coke, make sure to pronounce “coke” properly. If they don’t understand you after 2 or 3 tries, say it in a different way. Try “coca-cola,” “pepsi,” or “the carbonated sugar water with the artificial black color.”